Alex Tyrrell: With Manly elected, It's time for the Canadian left to rally around the Green Party

A text by Alex Tyrrell, leader of the Green Party of Québec and former NDP organizer under Jack Layton's leadership

Earlier this week, longtime activist and filmmaker Paul Manly became the second Green MP ever elected to the federal parliament. This victory comes on the heels of the Prince Edward Island Green Party’s unprecedented election results in which they have formed the official opposition in that province.

At a time when the NDP is struggling to express even the slightest opposition to pipeline projects, tar sands or human rights abuses committed by the state of Israel, the Green Party of Canada is presenting a radical policy agenda that seeks to implement meaningful environmental protections while tackling inequality and rebuilding Canada’s reputation on the world stage.

Over the past few years, many progressive minded NDP supporters including myself and Paul Manley has made the leap to the Green Party. Many of us have grown frustrated with the NDP’s lack of a clear progressive vision for the future of Canada and their unwillingness to challenge the status quo. Many activists have abandoned the NDP, and rather than reinvigorating their program, they have folded inwards and abandoned the left while attempting to focus attention on the personality of their leader, rather than on his policies, which are few and far between.

Although the Green Party of Canada has not always been perfect, the arrival of more and more highly progressive members and candidates is changing the face of the party.

Going into the next decade, Green Parties across the country will play an increasingly important role in our politics. Progressive Canadians can contribute to ensuring the Green Movement adequately represents the Canadian environmental left by getting involved, running as candidates and participating in the organization’s democratic structures.

The time for centrist brokerage politics is over. We are facing a climate emergency and the Green Party of Canada is the only party that is placed to unite the Canadian left, the electoral and the environmental movement around a bold, radical and concrete vision for the future of this country. It’s time to take the leap; join us in shaping the future!